Victorian Floor Tiling
So, if you've been thinking....."I think a Victorian style tiled floor in our hallway would look great" I can honestly tell you it will. Not only that a huge plus point is it also adds value to your property, and if you are looking to sell in the future, many people admit to purchasing their property because of the "WOW" factor you get when that front door is opened. Don't get me wrong geometric tiling looks great anywhere in the home and we have tiled bathroom floors in it as well, however the most popular place remains to be the hallway and outdoor front pathway.
When it comes to an original floor I'm not sure that the Victorian builders really gave much though to how long their work might last, but as we know many geometric and encaustic tiled floors and pathways have survived over 150 years of wear and tear. You only need to take a walk around your local Victorian built streets and you will no doubt see a front pathway or steps looking as good as they did when they were first installed. Having said all that, we do install them a little differently these days to ensure there is no movement and that no cracking will appear in the future.
So, what to choose - There are a number of different manufactures of these tiles so there is lots of choice of what colours or patterns to choose from. The two main companies for me are Original Style and London Mosaic, these two produce fantastic quality tiles in lots of variations. The question is - Do you go for something more modern in soft grey tones or bold and bright like the original floors, the options to choose your favourite border with the body in the pattern and colours of your choice, the floor becomes completely bespoke to your home. The main thing is you have got to love it, so take your time and make sure you've got exactly what you are looking for.
Do lots of research. Two of the best places for this is on Instagram and Pinterest. Save your favourites for inspiration and when you do finally choose which one you would like, get that CAD drawing done and see what it looks like. Remember that the lighting in your home is different to anyone else's, so before you go any further think about how light or dark the area is you want tiled, get some samples of the colours you are thinking of and lay them out. That beautiful black and white Nottingham pattern from Original Style might look better with a peacock blue tile popped in there or is London Mosaics Barwick 70 pattern in Anthracite, green and white more for you. Take a look at both their website for lots of inspiration.
5 Points of Advice
Get the timing right- one major factor to think about is when do you want it done. If this is part of a renovation of your property this should be the last part, all the dusty plastering or decorating should be done before as it can not be walked on when installing, so any trades or yourself can not use parts of your hallway during installation however, your wainscoting and skirting boarding is best installed after the floor is installed for the best finish. Also installing a hallway floor with the front door open all day in the thick of winter time is not fun for you, and is not fun for the installer either. So in short plan - really plan!
Hire an expert and book well in advance. - I can't stress enough how important it is to hire a specialist for this type of tiling, if it is us we will talk you through every step of what we do and how long it takes, but if you are not in our area have a look on the internet for specialist tilers near you and look and have a good look at their work as the best ones get booked up pretty quickly.
Get a CAD drawing - This will save you money in the long run! The beauty of a CAD drawing is you get to see what your floor will look like, as sometimes the pattern you set your heart on doesn't look right, so it gives you options on how you want it to look, although they do cost a small amount to have done it will also save you money on how many tiles you will need, without it you could end up over ordering and these tiles are not cheap!
Looking after your new tiled floor -A floor that has been sealed should be cleaned using the appropriate maintenance cleaner recommended by the manufacturer of the sealer your installer has used. Avoid using general household cleaners, as some of these are very aggressive and may remove the sealer, which will then need to be reapplied. Soft detergents and no chemicals with bleach in as these are too harsh for any tiling.
Most importantly Enjoy your floor - It might sound strange to some but enjoy it! They are beautiful to walk on as well as to look at. Also you will have just added something to your home that will remain for many generations to come, so be proud that as the current custodians of your home - You did that!!